Federal grand jury indicts alleged ecstasy ring

by Cheryl Devall

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A federal grand jury has accused more than a dozen men who prosecutors say trafficked in the party drug ecstasy. The US Attorney’s office in Los Angeles seized 1 million tablets of the drug.

Federal Drug Enforcement Agents targeted a so-called “stash house” in the city of Industry that they claim was the base for the narcotics ring. Inside, they say they found a laboratory that could produce large quantities of ecstasy and methamphetamines.

Federal agents and Beverly Hills police raided three locations in all during a seven-month investigation. They confiscated drugs with a street value of about $17 million, along with 21 firearms and more than $500,000 in cash.

A federal grand jury indicted 15 men in connection with the investigation. All but two of the indicted men are in federal custody. One has agreed to surrender to authorities on Monday and another is on the run.

The raids and indictments follow the recent death of a 15-year-old girl at an electronic music event at the LA Coliseum. Doctors who treated her said she had ecstasy in her system. In a statement, US Attorney Andre Birotte said now that the authorities have dismantled one ring, other traffickers “should know that we’re coming after them next.”